Parker makes Cumbrians switch

Leeds defender Ben Parker has joined Carlisle on loan for a month.

The 24-year-old, who considered quitting the game due to a catalogue of injuries and operations over the last two years, will stay with the League One club until February 25.

Leeds manager Simon Grayson told the club's official website: "This is something we've been looking at for a few weeks now.

"Ben has had a very, very difficult few years with injury and it's testament to him and the physios that he has come through it and is back playing again.

"The next logical step once he was playing again was a loan move to play some competitive games and with Carlisle going so well at the moment this is a move that suits everyone."

Parker has suffered several injury setbacks since first sustaining a calf injury on the opening day of the 2009/10 season and has been restricted to just eight first-team appearances in the two-and-a-half years that have followed.